Plymouth Community Homes News Issue 13 (1.3mb)

make it happen
PCHNews
Issue 13 Winter 2012
Moving into
new homes
1,000th
kitchen
& bathroom
upgrade
page 3
Inside this issue
The Green
Deal - what it
means for you
Helping our
tenants get
jobs
Benefit
changes
and how it
affects you
Plymouth in
Bloom success
at Morley Court

Hello PCH News
Call us on 0800 694 3101
Hello
again!
Elaine Pellow
Chair of the Board
A warm welcome to the new-look PCH Newsletter.
As you will see when you read through this latest
edition, there are many changes to the layout and
design – we hope you like it.
We’ve also introduced a letters section so you can tell us what you think.
We’re always keen to hear about your experiences with us, telling us about
when we get things right or how we could make things better in the future.
There’s just one change we haven’t yet made – and that’s where we’d like
your help. We have always said that PCH News is about residents, for
residents, and in keeping with that, we are inviting you to write in or email
us with your suggestions for a new name to your quarterly newsletter. This
is your chance to shape the way we communicate with you. We will be
announcing the new name in the following issue, so watch this space.
In this issue we take another look at the Government’s planned benefit
changes that are due to be phased in from this coming April. In this year’s
summer issue, we first reassured you that our staff were fully informed
and would keep you up to date on any developments. On page 8 and 9 we
explain to you about three key areas: Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit
and an overall limit to Benefits.
Inside
3 Top Story
4 News in Brief
5 Award
6 Communities
8 Money Matters
10 Successes
13 Letters
14 Leaseholders
15 A day in the life of...
See page 7 to see how PCH are helping people to find work and don’t forget
to check your Learn for Free leaflet (enclosed with this magazine) to find out
about free training courses.
Adam Harding is out and about again. This time he shadows two Housing
Officers during one of their community walkabouts. Turn to page 15 to read
about what goes on.
If you would like to submit a letter to our new letters page or suggest a new
name for this newsletter, please email us at: news@plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk
or write to us at PCH News, Plymouth Community Homes, 23 Princess
Street, Princess Court, Plymouth, PL1 2EX. If you have a suggestion or a
story for your newsletter, please let us know about that too.
16 Contacts
8
4
2
Elaine Pellow Chair of the Board
6

plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk
Top Story PCH News
1,000th kitchen and bathroom
upgrade with Apollo
For the Tapp family of Honicknowle, having a new bathroom
and kitchen in their home has had a life-changing effect.
Theirs was the 1,000th property to have
the upgrade, carried out by our contractor
Apollo.
Apollo project manager Nick Tyler and
Karl Hemmings, contract surveyor for
PCH, visited Vernon and Laura Tapp at
home to present them with flowers and
hear about the impact of the work.
Vernon Tapp is disabled and the new
wetroom-style bathroom means he can
shower with ease whereas before he felt
claustrophobic in the cramped shower
and often needed his wife to help him
wash. He can also use the kitchen with
its conveniently-placed cupboards and
worktops.
The 58-year-old said: “This has changed
my life and given me some independence.
Everything is so easy whereas before it
was a struggle. I used to hate the
bathroom and to be
honest I’d be in and
out as fast as I could.
“Now I’m in it all the time
and I can even have a chair
in there so I really enjoy showering.
In the kitchen, I can get things out of the
cupboards when before they were too high
for me to use.”
“This has changed my
life and given me some
independence.”
Wife Lorna, 54, admitted this is their first
new kitchen since they moved in 20 years
ago and was delighted at the choice,
plumping for pillar box red. She added:
“The layout is so convenient that
everything is a joy. The other day I
“The layout is
so convenient
that everything
is a joy.”
cooked dinner for 12
as I do regularly for
the family and it was so
much easier.”
Karl Hemmings said:
“Apollo has done an excellent
job, the tenants have said how
happy they are and it shows the great
partnership between PCH and Apollo
and how well we work together.”
Nick Tyler said: “We are pleased to
provide the Tapps with a nice kitchen
and bathroom and it’s nice to see them
at home and hear how they have happily
been making use of them. We’d like
to thank them for their patience in
accommodating the workmen.”
3

News in Brief PCH News
4
Housing with
Support service
Following lots of consultation
with sheltered housing tenants
and staff, two new job roles
have been introduced in our
Housing with Support service,
previously known as Sheltered
Housing.
These two new roles are Housing with
Support Officer and Housing with Support
Manager. We have a number of Housing
with Support Officers and their Manager is
Charlotte Schraibman.
The Housing with Support Officer role
replaces the Sheltered Housing Officer
role. The new posts will allow us to
provide the service our tenants want in a
more flexible way, giving support where
it is needed and ensuring tenants have
someone to hand when they need it.
This means residents can contact a
member of staff between the hours of 8am
and 5pm. This will improve access to the
service as staff will be available to answer
calls and make visits for a longer period
during the working day.
This will be made possible by staff
working in small teams. The teams will
be more mobile and contactable during
these hours.
Housing with Support Officers will still be
supporting social activities for residents.
Our residents have told us how much
they value living in supported housing and
we want to make sure our service is of
the highest standard both now and in the
future.
The team will have an office base,
allowing more close working with other
PCH staff, for example Housing Officers,
Repairs colleagues and Rangers who
now provide the grounds maintenance
for many of the schemes.
This will help to improve communication,
providing a more responsive service for
residents.
The new team visited all the sheltered
schemes during November to introduce
themselves and listen to residents’ views.
Keep reading future issues to find out how
the service will continue to improve.
Cooking up a
storm in the
kitchen
Devonport tenants have been
cooking up healthy budget meals.
PCH’s communities team, along with
public health workers and the Marlborough
House Residents’ Association, have been
chopping, slicing and sizzling their way to
nutritious eating.
Hayley Kemp, Communities Worker for
PCH, said: “Earlier this year we consulted
with residents at Marlborough House to
see what activities they would like to do to
bring them together.
“They said cooking healthy and
inexpensive food would be a great
idea – and then eating the fruits of
their labour together!”
Hayley worked with Housing Officer
Gavin West on the consultation and is
now working with Trained Nutritionist
Fay Brereton, from the Plymouth Health
Improvement Team (NHS), on the project.
Hayley, Fay and the residents’
association launched the cookery
group in October and it will be running
twice weekly until mid December.
The sessions began with a curried
pumpkin soup and the group has already
got their future menus lined up –
kedgeree, risotto, jalfrezi, stew and
carbonara are just some of the tasty treats
they’ll be whipping up.
Hayley added: “At each session, the group
also does a price comparison with a
ready-made version of what they are
cooking as well as a taste test. The
home-made versions raise the fruit
and vegetable consumption, reduce
food waste and demonstrate that better
food choice is not, as perceived, more
expensive.
“Not only are the home-made versions
healthier but they are also cheaper
Anti-social behaviour surveys
More than 80 per cent of people were
happy with the support PCH gave them
when they complained about antisocial
behaviour, according to our latest
customer satisfaction survey.
September’s survey shows 82 per cent of
respondents were satisfied with the help
and tastier. We pick
up tips from each other – apparently
wearing contact lenses stops your eyes
watering when chopping onions!”
The cooking group has proved popular
and residents have really taken the lead
on encouraging their neighbours to join in.
It’s hoped that once the course has come
to an end the residents will continue
running it themselves.
The residents’ association has already
applied to PCH’s Money Tree Fund for a
cooker for their community room so that
they can continue cooking and eating
together.
they received during their case – a ten per
cent rise on August’s figures.
The questionnaires also revealed that 71
per cent felt they were kept up to date with
what was happening and 76 per cent of
those questioned found it ‘fairly’ or ‘very’
easy to report a complaint.

plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk
Award PCH News
Bid to get people talking
proves a winner for mum Cath
Mum Cath Britton’s efforts to get her neighbours talking to each other
and working together to improve their community have paid off.
Morley Court resident Cath has
won a Plymouth Community
Homes VIP Award 2012 for
her work.
Cath helped to set up a residents’
committee at Morley Court and has given
up much of her free time making it a
success.
Cath said: “I was really shocked when
I found out I’d won. It gave me a really
warm feeling.
“I’ve managed to get residents to work
together to solve problems. We’re all
working together as a team at Morley
Court. I don’t want people shutting their
doors to neighbours – I want people to
know each other and to be friends.
“When we first came here we had nothing.
It was dull and grey and there was nothing
to look at. We’re hoping to get a roof
garden by next year and are applying for
Money Tree Funding for it.
“I’ve managed to
get residents to work
together to solve
problems. We’re all
working together
as a team at
Morley Court.”
“We’ve also installed gates – we’d been
having things stolen. We’ve had a shed
put in and fencing. It also keeps the kids
safe. We’ve also started a neighbourhood
watch group and the local PCSOs have
been fantastic. We’ve had a great deal of
help from PCH too.”
Cath was nominated by her housing
officer, Stephanie Hann.
Stephanie said Cath always went the
‘extra mile’ in anything she did. She
added: “Cath is always the first person to
volunteer to assist with anything involving
her community and she does so with so
much energy and always with a smile on
her face.
“Most recently, Cath has been actively
involved in the Morley Court Roof Garden
Project and has assisted me and others
in consulting with the residents at Morley
Court on their views and opinions.”
Cath celebrated her win alongside two
other VIP winners at a special lunch at the
River Cottage Café in Royal William Yard.
Bernard Clark was nominated for his work
on a range of sheltered housing groups
while Bob Norris won for his success in
founding a residents’ association at Helen
Fox House.
VIP Awards are given by PCH’s Customer
Focus Committee to tenants and
leaseholders who have contributed in
a special way to involvement. Their
involvement will have had a positive
impact on their neighbourhood or
community and something will have
changed for the better as a result of their
involvement.
5

Community PCH News
The Green Deal
what does it mean for you?
You may have heard details about a new scheme the
government is introducing called the Green Deal.
The Green Deal offers loans to pay for
energy insulation measures such as cavity
wall and loft insulation and products like
solar panels.
The repayments for the loan, including
interest, will be added to a household’s
electricity bills which means that if you,
as a tenant, decide to sign up, you will be
responsible for the repayments.
The charge is being fixed against the
meter so that if you move to another
home, the charge will remain with the
home where the improvements have taken
place and will continue to be paid by the
new incoming resident.
At the same time, this charge could apply
to you if you move into a home where
Green Deal works have been completed
previously.
You can only sign up for the Green Deal if
the amount of savings generated on your
energy bill is more than the overall cost of
supplying the works.
You will also need PCH’s approval before
any works can be carried out.
If you would like any more information
about the Green Deal, go to decc.gov.
uk. If you’re contacted by a Green Deal
supplier, contact Plymouth Community
Homes on 01752 388484.
Call us on 0800 694 3101
Tenants prepare to
say their good-byes
to Ann
Tenants at Leypark Court will bid a
fond farewell to their cleaner in the
New Year when she begins her
retirement.
Ann Wilson, who works at Leypark
Court, Estover, will be leaving her
role after ten years.
Julie Lintern, Housing with Support
Officer, said: “Ann is very popular
with the tenants.
“I recently nominated her for a Beacon
Award for her hard work. She puts
in 110 per cent. It’s always spotless
here. She also does lots for charity –
she regularly volunteers at Shekinah.
“A lot of the tenants will be sad to see
her go. She makes time to speak to
them.” Leypark Court residents will
be holding a farewell lunch for Ann
on 4 January.
North Prospect residents
settle in
New residents of the Phase 1 regeneration in North Prospect
have been officially welcomed to their homes.
The drop-in event, at the PL2 marketing
suite in Ham Drive, included advice on
rent and debt management from PCH staff
and discussions about priorities for the
area.
Health Nurse Sue Thomas provided fruit
smoothies while the Wolseley Trust laid
on a buffet. The children were entertained
with a bouncy castle courtesy of Mr
Bounce and face painting from Jump.
6
Housing Officer Marissa Casson, who
organised the day, said: “The main
purpose was to welcome the new
residents, discuss their future and find out
how they were settling in.
“One resident who was re-housed said her
new home was lovely. She felt so lucky
to have been given the chance of a new
build. She and her children are now warm
and safer in their homes and all are much
happier with their new lives.”
The day also included a prize draw.
Andrew Norman won tickets to Dartmoor
Zoo while Anne Pellecalle went home with
two tickets to an Argyle game.
Another event will be held in the future
when Phase 1 has been completed.

plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk
Helping tenants get jobs
Residents who have been out of work have been given a
helping hand getting into the jobs market.
We’ve been running a free course for
tenants who want to get their CSCS
(Construction Skills Certification Scheme)
card.
Anyone who wants to work on
a building site needs the card
and some cleaning jobs also
require it.
Twenty three tenants booked
to do the test this summer
with PCH, with most passing.
It’s a good deal as the CSCS
test, the card itself and the
study material normally costs
nearly £100.
Those who’ve passed have been telling
us the card has given them greater
confidence and has led to some of them
getting full-time jobs.
Ryan Canby, of Efford, passed the test
and was offered a job soon after at
Devonport Dockyard. He said: “I had just
recently come back to the UK from South
Africa and was looking for work.
“I phoned up about
the course and I knew
that it would lead to
me getting work.”
23
tenants booked to
do the test this
summer with PCH,
with most passing.
The leaflet about it came
through my door and I
phoned up about the
course. I knew when
I got the card it would
lead to me getting
work.”
We’ve run the course
– and many more –
through our Learn for
Free programme.
The quarterly series of free
training is offered to all tenants. More
information can be found in the insert in
this newsletter.
Are you interested in
becoming a member of the
Plymouth Community Homes
Board of Management?
The Board has overall responsibility for
the running and future direction of Plymouth
Community Homes. Tenants on the
Board of Management have a real voice to
influence decisions.
We will be running elections for tenant
board members during the spring of 2013.
To register an interest in applying to be
a Board member, please contact either
Janine or Belinda, details below.
We are running a series of sessions which
will give people the opportunity to find out
more about the role of a Board member
and the work that they do. These sessions
will cover aspects such as the Board
member’s role, business plan and financial
planning and monitoring and measuring
performance.
The first session is due to begin on 10
January 2013.
If you are interested in attending these
sessions please contact Janine Hems on
388364 or Belinda Pascoe on 388360.
Customer Focus
Committee
10 January 2013
Community PCH News
Tenants and leaseholders are welcome to
come and observe the committee meeting.
If you are interested in attending, please
contact Janine Hems on 388364 by 7
January 2013.
Rents latest
Rents charged by Plymouth Community
Homes continue to be among the lowest
for housing associations in the country.
Figures from the Homes and Communities
Agency show that nationally, average rents
for our general needs homes are the third
lowest in the country.
In both the South West and Plymouth, our
average rents are the lowest. Our average
general needs rent is £65.17 per week
which is £2.57 below the next lowest rent
in Plymouth and £37.52 below the highest
rent.
Our average rent charged for Housing
with Support (£60.68 per week) is the
seventh lowest in the country
and the lowest in the South
West and Plymouth.
Of course where we are
building brand new
homes the rents are
higher. The average for
new homes in North
Prospect is £97.05 but
still represents good value
for money for a high-quality
home.
Our average rents
are the lowest in
Plymouth and the
South West!
know our tenants want more affordable
homes for future generations –
because you have told us so.
To do this we will have to
look at further increasing
the rent that existing
tenants pay.
We will be actively
looking at this over the
next few weeks and we
will get back in touch
with tenants in the
New Year.
Rents for privately let properties in
Plymouth average at £130 per week.
We are considering how we fund more
new affordable homes in the future. We
7

Money Matters PCH News
Call us on 0800 694 3101
Pay by Direct Debit
Paying by Direct Debit couldn’t be easier – and means
you’re in with a chance of winning prize vouchers.
Everyone who pays their rent or service
charges by Direct Debit for at least three
months will be entered into the quarterly
prize draw.
New Direct Debit customers receive a £10
voucher now plus a £20 voucher next April
if the Direct Debit continues until March.
Existing Direct Debit customers get a £30
voucher next April if the Direct Debit
continues until March.
If you would like to pay by Direct Debit,
pick up a form from your local housing
office or the service information centre
in Frankfort Gate or call 0800 694 3101.
You can also obtain a form online at
plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk.
Cut costs this Christmas
Christmas is an expensive time of year – and can be made
more expensive if that is the time you are moving into a new home.
£10
VOUCHERS
£20
VOUCHERS
£30
VOUCHERS
The Absolute Recycling Company (ARC),
working with the Credit Union, has come
up with a solution to help new tenants and
householders.
ARC collect unwanted electrical items
– including cookers, fridges, washing
machines, TVs, toasters, hair dryers and
kettles for a £5 charge. Then they repair
or refurbish them to sell through local
community groups and charities for low
prices.
They have a cut-price starter package
of white goods, including a washing
machine, fridge and freezer for less than
£100 and are referring customers to the
Plymouth Credit Union for sensible finance
packages.
The Credit Union offers a 26.8% interest
rate, or a cheaper rate of 12.7% for those
who start saving with them 13 weeks
before taking out a loan.
Andy Hawkins, of ARC, said: “People can
get into financial difficulties buying white
goods on hire purchase, especially at this
time of year, and can find themselves tied
into tricky agreements where they end up
paying high interest rates.
“We offer similar products for sale and
want customers to have a sensible
rate. Some of these items have just
been discarded because the owner has
upgraded, others may need a minor repair
and all have been safety tested.”
For details of appliances contact ARC on
01752 786972 or 780774.
For details of loans and eligibility contact
Plymouth Credit Union on 01752 201329
or 310698.
Christmas
opening hours
Our service information centre
in Frankfort Gate will be open
for enquiries between Christmas
and New Year on 27, 28, and 31
December.
Housing offices will be closed on
those dates.
Improvement works as part of the
Decent Homes programme will finish
on 21 December and begin again on
2 January.
Our contact centre – which you can
call to report repairs – will be open as
usual. You can ring 0808 230 6500
(0800 917 9459 between 5pm and
7am).
During the Bank Holidays, an
emergency on call service will
operate for repairs.
Our Manufacturing depot at
Prince Rock will be closed from 21
December and reopen on 2 January.
For more contact numbers see the
back page.
8

plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk
Money Matters PCH News
How will the new benefit
changes affect me?
You may have heard that from April, the government is introducing changes to benefits paid to
people on low incomes.
We want to give you as much notice as
possible about these changes so that you
can prepare for them.
There are three main changes you should
know about:
• Housing Benefit
• An overall limit on Benefits
• Council Tax Benefit
Housing Benefit
The changes mean that some people will
get less Housing Benefit than they do now.
From April, if you live in any council or
housing association home and you have
one or more ‘spare’ bedrooms, your
Housing Benefit may be reduced.
You may have heard this called the
‘Bedroom Tax’.
If you have one spare bedroom, your
Housing Benefit will be cut by 14 per cent
of the rent you are charged every week.
If you have two or more spare bedrooms
you will lose 25 per cent of your current
Housing Benefit.
If your benefit is cut you will have to pay
PCH the difference between your Housing
Benefit award and your rent charged.
Here’s an example of what we mean:
Mr and Mrs White live in a two-bedroom
flat costing £60 per week in rent. At the
moment Housing Benefit covers the full
cost of their rent.
Under the new rules they will have one
spare bedroom as couples are expected
to share a bedroom. Their housing benefit
will be reduced by 14 per cent of their
rent (14 per cent of £60 = £8.40). Their
Housing Benefit will be reduced by £8.40
to £51.60 per week. They will therefore
have to pay £8.40 per week towards their
rent themselves.
You will NOT be affected if:
• You live in a one bedroom flat or bedsit,
or if
• You or your partner are old enough
to receive Pension Credits (In April,
the Pension Credits age will be around
61 years and six months).
An overall limit on benefits
From April, the overall benefits you can
receive will be capped. The limit is £500
per week for families, and £350 per week
for single people.
The government will add up how much
money you get from a range of benefits
including Housing Benefit; Job Seeker’s
Allowance; Employment Support
Allowance; Child Benefit; Child Tax
Credits; and Carer’s Allowance.
If the total comes to more than the
maximum amount allowed, your Housing
Benefit payments will be reduced.
You will NOT be affected if:
• You receive Pension Credit or Working
Tax Credit
• A member of your household is
claiming Disability Living Allowance,
Attendance Allowance or the
support element of Employment
Support Allowance.
Council Tax Benefit
From April, if you are of working age and
claim Council Tax Benefit the amount of
support you receive will be cut. This will
apply even if you are now receiving either
full or partial Council Tax Benefit and
Housing Benefit.
This is because the government is
reducing the amount of money it gives to
local councils and is asking them to run
their own schemes which may vary from
area to area.
We don’t know any of the details yet about
Plymouth City Council’s scheme or how
much individuals will have to pay as a
result of this.
Where do I go for more info?
We understand all these changes to
benefits may seem confusing and worrying
to you and we want to help as much as
possible.
If you have any questions, please call
your local housing office or the Service
Information Centre in Frankfort Gate (all
contact details on the back page) and ask
to speak to a member of the Incomes Team.
Andy Brettle, a PCH Area Manager, said:
“There will be a lot of changes to the
benefits system over the coming months
and years and we appreciate some of them
may be confusing for tenants. We are here
to help tenants understand what it means
for them so if you have any questions,
please don’t hesitate to contact us.”
Remember, we’re here to help.
There are some other useful websites and
phone numbers below:
Housing Benefit/Council Tax advice
(Plymouth City Council) 01752 668000
Citizens Advice Bureau
08444 111 444 or 01752 520052
Government’s self-help website
www.direct.gov.uk
Department of Work and Pensions
www.dwp.gov.uk
Benefits and grant information and
benefits calculator
www.Turn2us.org.uk
Advice on all housing matters,
debt and benefits
www.England.Shelter.org.uk
0808 800 4000 (freephone)
Home swapping
www.Homeswapper.co.uk
National Debtline
www.nationaldebtline.co.uk
0800 808 4000 (freephone)
Independent budgeting, savings and
debt advice
www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk
9

Success PCH News
Call us on 0800 694 3101
10
Morley Court honoured
at Plymouth in Bloom
A pensioner who has been turning her home into an urban
beauty spot has scooped three awards at Plymouth in Bloom.
Brenda Burns, of Morley Court, has been
decorating her flat and nearby communal
areas for the past four years with hanging
baskets, window boxes and containers
brimming with colourful flowers.
This year she was pleased to once again
be honoured at the city council’s awards
to recognise to achievements of the green
fingered in brightening up their community,
this year taking the Gold Award for Best
Window Box, the Silver for Best Container
Display and a Highly Commended in the
Best Hanging Baskets category.
Brenda, 69, said: “I was delighted to get my
awards from the mayor but really I just love
what I do. I’d like to turn the place into a
Swiss chalet with flowers everywhere.
I really enjoy it and I like to cheer the
place up.
“People really like the display. My
neighbours who look out onto the
flowers say it’s lovely to look at and
they really appreciate how it brightens
up their view.
Other neighbours at Morley Court
are beginning to take a leaf out of
Brenda’s book, introducing their
own window boxes and containers
to turn the place into a vision of
colour in the middle of the city.
Brenda said: “We are a little island
as we are sandwiched in between busy
roads, but the flowers have cheered up
the buildings and people passing by do
stop and say how lovely it looks.”
Brenda was not the only winner as
the rooftop garden at Morley Court took
five awards.
Graham Smith, of the Morley Court
Residents Association, who helps Brenda
with some of the manual work involved,
said: “Morley Court is very pleased to be
recognised and everyone is delighted with
the work Brenda does and pleased she
has been honoured for it.”
Brenda and Graham with
her winning cup!
“My neighbours say
it’s lovely to look at
and they really
appreciate how it
brightens up
their view.”
Gardens transformed
thanks to rangers
Neighbourhood rangers have been
hard at work improving the gardens
of hundreds of residents.
The assisted gardens service we run has
come in-house, having previously been
carried out by the city council.
The assisted gardens service is for people
who are elderly and disabled and unable
to tend to their gardens effectively.
Residents make a small payment which
entitles their garden to be tended
throughout the year.
Kevin Perry, Head of Environmental Services,
said: “The difference the team has made
already is incredible. We have had a good
response from residents.
“It’s great to see the difference it has made
to some gardens. In some places, brambles
have grown to such an extent that people
have lost nearly a third of their garden space.
“The scheme is a great way for us to
support people who are less able to care
for their gardens.”
Thelma Stephens is one of the tenants
who uses the service. She said: “The work
the rangers did is brilliant. Nothing was too
much trouble. They mowed the lawn and
trimmed the corners and picked up all the
mess. They were really lovely people.”
On 1 November, the Environmental Services
team took over the running of the grounds
maintenance contract, which was also carried
out by the council.

plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk
Success PCH News
Brighter future for Adam
Just two years ago, Adam Thomas was facing an uncertain
future. He had, in his own words, ‘been messing about’.
But after help from the social enterprise
charity Shekinah Mission and a
partnership with Plymouth Community
Homes, he is now back on course and in
full-time employment.
Adam’s lucky break came as a result of an
innovative agreement between PCH and
the charity, which offers help and support
for the socially excluded (including the
homeless, ex-offenders or those struggling
with substance abuse) and gets them
back into work or training.
We were looking for a temporary Ranger.
As Skekinah is a nominated charity for
PCH, we approached them to see if they
had candidates among their workforce of
people they have made ready for outside
employment.
This was instead of us turning to a
recruitment agency. After the standard
interview procedure, Adam was the first
to come through and began working as a
Ranger.
The 25-year-old performed so well
that when 10 full-time posts became
available, it was suggested he apply. They
attracted almost 150 candidates who were
shortlisted to 47 – and Adam was one of
the lucky ones who were taken on.
He said: “Although I had been working
with PCH, I wasn’t confident I would get
the job as so many people had applied,
and I was just so happy when I did. I love
the variety of what I do as I travel from site
to site and I like being part of a team.
“A couple of years ago I never could have
believed I’d be as settled and happy as I
am now and the fact I have come on so
much just goes to show that anyone can
change if they want to.
“I am really grateful to PCH for taking
me on and giving me a chance. I know it
was a big deal because many companies
won’t even look at someone who has
had problems in the past. I am going to
prove to them they definitely made the
right decision. I want to progress in the job
and I hope to be made a supervisor in the
future.”
Kevin Perry, Environmental Services
Manager, said: “We went to Shekinah as
they are a charity we support and they
do look to find work for people and we
wondered if the connection could be of
some help. We are delighted that, as a
“I am really grateful
to PCH for taking
me on and giving
me a chance.”
result, we now have Adam on a full-time
basis. He is such a pleasant young man,
very polite and works extremely hard.”
Steve Weymouth, Head of Social
Enterprise at Shekinah, who is pictured
above with Adam, said: “Adam is the first
of our staff to work with PCH and because
of his success, PCH has confidence in us
and is happy for us to supply more people.
It’s a win/win for everyone: PCH get staff,
our people get the chance to restart their
lives in the real world and – as they move
on – they create a space at our charity for
someone else who needs help.”
11

plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk
Your Letters PCH News
Dear PCH...
Email us or use
good old pen
and paper.
Details below
Thank you
I am writing to say thank you for my
wet room. I am so very grateful that I
now feel so much safer.
While waiting for it to be done, I had yet
another fall, badly dislocating and fracturing
a shoulder. My husband had a terrible
time trying to help me but now there is a
safe seat and room to manoeuvre so most
of the time I can be independent.
It may sound strange but whoever came
up with the idea of the plinth to raise the
toilet has done so much for my dignity.
Because of damage to my lower spine, I
have needed my toilet seat for 20 years
but now I feel ‘normal’ like anyone else.
S Connell
Beware of scammers!
Is anyone else getting annoyed by
constant emails and telephone calls
from companies urging Payment
Protection Insurance (PPI) claims?
Please be aware that when these
companies contact you, they are
charging up to 39% for this ‘service’.
The Financial Ombudsman offers the
same service for free, no fees are
involved and you keep all the money.
There are also different approaches, for
example: phone calls from a person claiming
to be from ‘Microsoft’. What they are
actually doing is trying to access your private
information, such as bank details and
passwords, via your computer, to access
your bank account and withdraw money
fraudulently.
The ‘You’ve won a prize or a holiday’ letter
is a total scam. Contact is usually made
by letter (but can also be by phone). When
reading the small print, which is in tiny
print, at the bottom of the letter, the cost
of telephoning or texting to ‘claim’ your
prize is VERY expensive. So, no, you’ve
not won a prize. If a prize does exist, it is
being paid for by the extortionate call and
text costs. If you ignore these letters, as I
have done, you receive yet another letter,
a few weeks later, ‘reminding’ you that you
haven’t claimed your prize.
The best way to deal with the scammers is
hang up the phone when they ring, delete
email messages and destroy any letters
from them. These scammers can only
exist if we reply. Ignore them and they will
go away. But, remember, they are always
working on the next scam. Please warn
the elderly and vulnerable; I would hate
anyone to get ripped off.
As Christmas is fast approaching,
I suspect that contact from the scammers
will be on the increase. Please, everyone
beware – if it sounds too good to be true,
it usually is!
G Leaton
If you wish to include a letter for
publication please email news@
plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk
or write to:
PCH News,
Plymouth Community Homes,
Princess Court,
23 Princess Street,
Plymouth, PL1 2EX
Congratulations
We would like to take this opportunity
to congratulate and thank the Apollo
and PiLON teams who modernised
our bathroom, toilet and kitchen.
We were originally so anxious, having
seen the dismal performance from Apollo
when they worked in our area approximately
two years ago. We were not looking
forward to having this work carried out.
What a massive turnaround, all workmen
were pleasant and polite, clean and tidy
and managed to do the project within the
15-20 day time schedule, also to a very
high standard of workmanship. We personally
want to thank Julian (works/project
manager) for all his efforts and involvement
throughout.
We have a bathroom and kitchen to be
proud of and feel confident it was professionally
managed.
I and A Davey
What have you got to say?
Please include your name and contact
details. We will not print your details
in full. We reserve the right to edit
letters. The views published are the
views of the individual contributor and
may not be those of Plymouth
Community Homes.
13

Leaseholders PCH News
Call us on 0800 694 3101
Leaseholders
Many leaseholders will have recently received an invoice to pay for
responsive repairs that have been carried out to their blocks
or properties.
A number of our newer leaseholders have
asked why they received this invoice and
also why it was sent for payment at the
end of September.
We would like to explain the rationale
behind these invoices.
As freeholder, Plymouth Community
Homes is responsible for maintaining what
our leases describe as the ‘Reserved
Property’. This generally comprises those
parts of the block or half-house flat that
are outside the individual flats. It will
usually cover communal areas and also
the roof, foundations and those parts of
the surrounding areas which support the
property. As the wording in some leases
is slightly different to that in others, what
comprises the ‘Reserved Property’ may
vary slightly from property to property.
Responsive repairs tend to be smaller
repairs that can be carried out relatively
quickly as opposed to major work invoices
which are usually for amounts over
£250. These could be for such items as
the installation of a new roof or external
decoration for example.
If any repairs are carried out to that part of
the property, all leaseholders who have a
stake in it are required to pay a proportion
of the total cost. This is an obligation
which is included in all leases.
At the time that the city council owned
the freehold, a charge for this used
to be included on the annual service
charge invoice that was sent out in April.
However, the problem with doing it that
way was that very little information was
provided about the repairs that were
being recharged for. As a result many
leaseholders asked the council to change
the way in which invoices for this were
sent out.
In 2003, the repairs charges were taken
off the annual service charge invoice and
a separate invoice was sent for responsive
repairs. It was agreed to keep this new
annual invoice as far apart as possible
from the service charge invoice and to
do this, an annual date of 30 September
was agreed. This method of billing for
responsive repairs has been continued by
PCH.
All responsive repairs that are carried out
in a financial year (1 April – 31 March) are
detailed on a schedule for each property
which includes the date that the repair was
completed and also a brief description of
the actual repair.
The cost of all repairs is totalled and a
proportion of the cost is charged to each
leaseholder in the block. The proportion
that each leaseholder is charged is
detailed in the individual lease. For
example, in a block of 10 flats each
leaseholder would be charged 1/10th of
the total cost.
An administration charge of 15% is
included on the invoice. This amount
contributes towards the overall cost
of providing the repairs service. This
includes, for example, the cost of running
the repairs call centre, supervision and
management and general overheads such
as travelling costs. We have to charge
VAT on the amount of the administration
charge.
Invoices are not usually sent for very small
amounts. Therefore, if the total amount
of the responsive repairs for a property
would mean that each leaseholder’s share
was less than £10, no invoice will be sent
for payment.
Most leaseholders tend to pay these
annual invoices promptly by making a
single payment. However, this can be
spread over a period by making regular
monthly payments if preferred.
Community transport service
A community transport service for elderly and
disabled residents is being trialled in the north of
Plymouth until the end of this month.
The Dial-a-Ride service, will offer return journeys to any
destination within the trial area from just £3.
A fully wheelchair-accessible minibus will run from 9.15am
to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday, and pick up passengers from
their doorsteps. Bookings can be made up to a week in
advance and will be accepted up to 2pm the day
before travel.
The service will cover an area from the A38
northwards, including Tamerton Foliot, Estover,
Ernesettle, Whitleigh, Southway, Derriford and Crownhill.
If the trial is a success it may be extended to other parts
of the city. To make a booking call Access Plymouth on
01752 600633.
Say cheese!
Plymouth Community Homes is
offering you and your family the
opportunity to have your photo
taken by an experienced,
friendly photographer.
As a thank you for taking part, a free
copy of the photo will be posted to you,
along with the option to have copies
emailed as well so they can be stored
on your computer or given to friends or
family. Free transport will be provided.
If you are interested, or would like to
know more, then please contact the
Communications team either via email
at news@plymouthcommunityhomes.
co.uk or by phone on 01752 388382.
14

plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk
A day in the life of... PCH News
Pounding the streets
in all weathers
They are instantly recognisable to local residents; big smiley faces,
cheery waves and a helpful demeanour. PCH’s Housing Officers
and Assistant Housing Officers perform a vital service for tenants.
One of the many services they provide is community walkabouts.
Communications Officer Adam Harding spent a few hours with two
of them as they carried out their visit.
Housing Officers and their assistants are
regularly seen out and about, engaging
with tenants and leaseholders to address
any concerns they may have. Each
Housing Officer has a set timetable of
community walkabouts which are published
on the PCH website, with each walkabout
lasting around two to three hours.
impressed with the cleanliness and quality,
I asked Tania about her thoughts on
community walkabouts.
“They’re a great opportunity to work with
different departments such as Rangers
and Repairs. We’re able to address and
resolve any issues quickly and in working
All smiles and waves!
“Nothing is too much trouble,” said Geoff,
“I am very pleased indeed with Tania and
Lynnsey. It is nice to know that if I did have
any issues I wanted to bring up during a
walkabout, they would be dealt with swiftly.
Tania and Lynnsey are more than just
members of PCH, they are my friends,”
he said.
We entered the final block of flats. On the
first floor, the second flat we walked past
had a PCH postcard in the window.
Each route is carried out roughly once
every six months.
I was lucky enough to shadow two officers
around Devonport – Housing Officer Tania
Trump and Assistant Housing Officer
Lynnsey Shannon – as they carried out a
walkabout.
I met the duo opposite Stonehouse
Barracks and before I could catch my
breath, I was whisked off to inspect the first
block of flats.
While I was being given the tour and shown
the quality of the communal stairwell, I
noticed that Lynnsey was scoring different
points on a list from 1-4. Curiosity aroused,
I asked her what she was doing.
“We score all of our public spaces against
a national standard – the HouseMark
standard. We then post the results online
so our residents can see how both we, and
our tenants, are performing against other
housing associations across the country.
The scoring system also acts as a way to
encourage our tenants to take ownership
and maintain their communal spaces.”
Light fixtures, graffiti, walls, stairwells,
windows, car parks, garages, lifts, litter and
security are all scored between 1-4, 1 being
bad. In this instance it was all 3s or 4s.
Leaving the first block, thoroughly
together with other departments we’re
able to make sure we’re all heading in
the same direction.
“Walkabouts also allow us to build
relationships with existing tenants and also
to welcome new tenants to the area. They
give us the opportunity to say hello and see
if there are any immediate issues that our
tenants wish to discuss with us,” said Tania.
Our walkabout led us towards a cluster of
half-house flats that are all in the process
of being repainted in pastel colours that
the tenants have been able to choose.
At this point, Tania pointed out to me the
importance of the Money Tree Fund, a pot
of PCH money individuals or groups can
bid for to help improve an area.
Tania said: “The Money Tree Fund allows
our residents to work with us to improve
the areas in which they live, meaning that
tenants want to continue living there and
shows them that we care, that we are
trying to improve their environment and are
helping to build a sense of community.”
Looking around the area, and having seen
the projects in Durnford Street flats and
gardens, I couldn’t agree more with Tania’s
words.
Geoff Moss is one resident who has
benefited from community walkabouts and
he is all in favour of them.
“The post card system that we use is a
great way of letting our residents know
of an upcoming walkabout. We usually
distribute those two days in advance, with
different people selected each time and we
include our phone number at the bottom,”
said Tania.
Lynnsey, clip board and score sheet in
hand, added: “Since the post cards have
been introduced, there has been an
increase in residents getting involved and
because we invite different residents on
every walkabout, it is nice to meet new
faces.”
Post cards are dropped to randomly
selected properties allowing the resident
to display them in their windows if they
would like to see a Housing Officer during a
walkabout.
Leaving Tania and Lynnsey to speak with
a tenant, I had the chance to think about
everything that I had seen along the
way. It became clear pretty quickly that
the responsibilities afforded to Housing
Officers and Assistant Housing Officers are
vast. They are expected to do a daunting
amount of tasks, but they choose to take
on so much more to help out their tenants.
It can be a thankless role at times, but
after all I have witnessed, they truly are the
unsung heroes of PCH.
15

Contact numbers
Repairs 0808 230 6500
Out of hours repairs: 0800 917
9459 (5pm to 7am)
Head Office 0800 694 3101
Housing Offices
Estover: 0800 917 9496
Devonport: 0800 917 9497
Whitleigh: 0800 917 9498
North Prospect: 0800 917 9499
Anti-social behaviour
out of hours hotline
0800 075 6699 or text 80800 and
start your message with ‘ASB’.
Plymouth City Council contacts
Enquiries
(including waste and out of hours)
01752 668000
Report fly tipping
01752 304147
Housing options
01752 305496
Anti-social behaviour
01752 307049
Newsletter Translations
Service information centre
01752 389778
Sheltered Housing Team
0800 917 9452
Communities Team
0800 917 9457
Leaseholders 01752 388094
Environmental Services
0800 917 9455
Debit/Credit Card
Payment Line
0844 557 8321
Gas Servicing
(and Cyclical Planned Technical
section)
01752 388007/388008
Plymouth Community Homes
Ground Floor
Princess Court
23 Princess Street
Plymouth PL1 2EX
Tel 01752 388300
Email info@plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk
Charitable Industrial and Provident Society registration No: 30637R
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